


Rejection - Felix Culpa

by ChaoticNeutral



Series: Felix AU [3]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Done Goofed, F/M, Felix Is A Good Person, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, Rejection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 19:34:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18723559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaoticNeutral/pseuds/ChaoticNeutral
Summary: An alternate follow up to Apex-Primus's Moral Dues/Rejection AU.Marinette finally confessed to Adrien, only to be rejected. But the worst part isn't just that he didn't return her feelings, but that the reason was on behalf of Lila, who had been doing nothing but lying and making Marinette miserable.He knew Lila was lying but said nothing. He had told her he would support her and yet he did nothing. All he did was leave her to deal with this on her own and then judge her for it.It's a good thing then that she's not as alone as she thought. And that Adrien isn't the only blond boy who sees the truth.





	Rejection - Felix Culpa

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Moral Dues](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18495802) by [Apex_Primus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apex_Primus/pseuds/Apex_Primus). 



* * *

 

She slapped him.

 

Marinette had actually—

 

“It’s been said that everyone has their limits of how much they can take.” Came a voice, and Adrien turned to see Felix staring down at him with what had to be the coldest glare he’d ever seen. “I never thought out of everyone it would be you to push Dupain-Cheng to hers.“

 

“I didn’t!” He insisted. “I just…I was just trying to keep the peace.”

 

“No, you were trying to maintain complacency. There is a difference. Your assurances of being in her corner ring hollow when you whisper them from the other side of the room.” He closed his eyes and released a breath. “But that’s hardly far from the norm for you.”

 

Adrien’s growled in frustration. Of course Felix would jump on him, but he wasn’t in the wrong here! “She was being cruel. There was no reason to try to out Lila when she wasn’t hurting anyone!”

 

The older male sighed.

 

“I know I’ve called you an idiot before, but that was by no means an invitation to prove me right.”

 

"Hey!"

 

"If you truly think that her lies aren't harming anyone, then you are either ignorant or willfully blind." Marinette if anyone was clearly an indicator of that, and it was telling of her worth to Adrien that he would choose to discount it.

 

That actually got his attention. He looked up at the other in confusion. “Felix?”

 

But the other blond simply walked past him without even glancing his way.

 

“Do us all a favor, Agreste. If you aren’t going to honor your word, then kindly say nothing.”

 

With that, Felix was gone, leaving the confused and ignorant child behind.

 

He had someone more important to see to.

 

* * *

 

When he found her, she was seated on a park bench, sobbing and unaware of her surroundings. It made for a sorrowful image, and though Felix struggled with emotional interaction, he wanted to intervene.

 

And so he approached, slowly and cautiously. Not like she was a scared rabbit who would flee at the first sign of danger, but so she could have the time to regain her bearings and be aware of his approach.

 

“Felix? What are you…” She paused, cutting herself off as she realized. “Oh. You saw, didn’t you?”

 

“Yes. I was the only one, fortunately.” He had made well sure of that, as his very presence seemed to be enough to deter most people from trying to linger. And he was glad he had, as the last thing anyone needed was for someone to be around and potentially overhear the commotion. Especially Lila, who would only be all too gleeful at the current state of things.

 

Marinette nodded in thanks, but didn’t speak.

 

Something in him ached as her tears continued to fall.

 

“I apologize.” He stated, making her look up at him in surprise. “I want to help you, but I’m not the most…proficient with comfort or emotional support.”

 

She wiped away a tear. “Are you going to call me a bully?”

 

“No.”

 

She gave a small bitter smile. “Then you’re already doing a better job than Adrien.”

 

It was a joke, he was sure. But it wasn’t funny. And neither of them felt up to laughing.

 

“May I sit with you?”

 

She nodded, and he settled next to her. Enough distance to offer her space, but close enough that she could lean on him for comfort if she so chose.

 

The two simply sat in silence for a few minutes. He didn’t bother asking if she was okay—that was a stupid question, as clearly she wasn’t. And he wasn’t going to force her to talk just to start up a conversation.

 

This…Marinette needed to regain some control. If he wanted to help her, he needed to let her speak at her own time. So he simply sat and waited.

 

A silent comfort.

 

Until finally…

 

“It’s just…this isn’t how I was expecting it to go.”

 

He tilted his head, curiously.

 

“I knew he might not feel the same. I mean, he’d been calling me his ‘good friend’ since forever. But…for THAT? Just…does he even see what’s going on?”

 

“He does seem to have a propensity to blindness.” Felix remarked, dryly.

 

She chuckled at that. That may have been some sign of progress.

 

“It’s just…what was I supposed to do? Sit there and do nothing? While she insulted me? Insulted my—my _family_? And everyone just let her. HE even did…”

 

Felix still regretted not being present for that particular altercation. By the time he arrived, Adrien was trying to play peacemaker, but only seemed to be playing more into Lila’s hands the further things went. He managed to help bring it to an end, but not before Marinette was left feeling deeply hurt and Lila had another pity party that the class attempted to cater to.

 

Not hurting anyone indeed. Anyone with sense could tell how upset Marinette had been. Adrien knew how she felt. He knew Lila had been the instigator.

 

And still that little fool did _nothing_.

 

He grimaced and looked at his hands, noting the way his fists were clenched.

 

“I should have stayed out of it like you have. I should have just let it go. Let Lila lie and manipulate everyone. At least then…” She shook her head. “I was so stupid.”

 

He frowned at that. It would have been easier if she had, certainly. But he knew her. Staying quiet and letting things happen would not have been in her nature, nor would it have allowed her to be happy. Felix chose to keep out of the conflict, but his reasons for his responses were his own. And while he had thought her actions foolish and her classmates not worth the heartache, that didn’t make her wrong.

 

“I stayed out of it because I have limited attachment to those involved.” He told her. “I’m not close to anyone else in that class, so I can’t say it is of any interest to me if they decide to be particularly stupid. When they choose to believe an obvious liar, then that is their own mistake and I have little sympathy for them.”

 

She frowned and looked down. He wasn’t having it though.

 

“Marinette,” He said, using her name for once and causing her to glance up at him in surprise. “You spoke up because these are your friends and their wellbeing matters to you. Don’t belittle yourself for caring about others.”

 

She stared. Feeling he had her attention, he continued.

 

“I stay silent because I don’t believe it’s my responsibility to attempt to save people from their own stupidity. Any one of them could easily disprove her claims  if they so much as bothered to look. It truly wasn’t and still isn’t that hard. So if they are so desperate to allow themselves to be fooled, then it isn’t worth my time or energy to attempt to stop them.”

 

He looked to her.

 

“But since I’ve met you, you’ve always been someone who would act if you knew something was wrong, regardless of whom it is for or against. You have a sense of righteousness that is…admirable, for all that it may be troublesome at times. You stand up for others. It isn’t wrong to stand up for yourself as well.”

 

She shook at that, giving another sob even as she finally start to smile more genuinely.

 

“I’m not…good…with this sort of thing.” Felix admitted. “I don’t know the right thing to say or the best way to offer comfort. But I can listen.”

 

Marinette bit her lip and looked away, uncertain.

 

"Feelings—especially strong ones—need to be acknowledged. I can let you vent. Give you a chance to process them safely.”

 

If nothing else, he could do that.

 

Fortunately, Marinette seemed to agree. And soon enough, the entire encounter was spilling from her lips. He had been there for part of it, at least. But this gave her a chance to put everything out there for herself, in her own words.

 

A chance to speak and be heard in a way she may not be able to otherwise.

 

And the more he learned, the more he felt that a simple slap was less than Adrien Agreste had deserved

 

“He kept saying we were in this together. But we weren’t. It was just me. On my own. Because ‘it’s not like she’s hurting anyone’, right? Like—like she wasn’t still being hurtful. Like she wasn’t hurting me.”

 

He nodded, all too aware of the depths of Lila’s attacks. Especially with the way the others were trailing after her, following her every word. What would it take before they would start echoing her statements about Marinette and her family? How many times would they hear it before they would let it cloud the truth and allow such good things to be spoiled? How long before the rest of the class actively started looking to criticize and devalue the things they once enjoyed simply because of a liar leading the charge?

 

“And for him to keep saying he’s on my side only to turn around and defend her? Like SHE is the victim? What am I supposed to think? How am I supposed to believe his claims that he’s with me when he’s defending HER with everyone else?”

 

Out of everything, that had been one of the things he had long disliked about the other model. How he would try to enforce his silly notion of “peace” between unfriendly parties in a horribly one-sided manner. How often, he wondered, had Agreste lectured a victim while ignoring or even condoning the behavior of their offender? There was little doubt at this point that Marinette had been on the receiving end of that judgmental attitude more than once.

 

Agreste was an enabler. Pure and simple.

 

“I could accept it if he just didn’t feel the same for me. But for it to be BECAUSE of her? Because trying to stop her from hurting others is somehow worse than what she’s been doing? That SHE was the one who warranted defending and protection? That’s just…too much.”

 

He nodded in agreement. That was what infuriated Felix the most about the situation. He could not begrudge Agreste his feelings, even if he felt his obvious obsession with Ladybug was foolish and pointless. But Agreste had used the situation as a sort of springboard to force his view on Marinette, and completely disregarded her feelings in the process.

 

“And what does it say when he knows full well what she’s doing but is admonishing me like I’m the bad guy?” She laughed bitterly before looking up at Felix, eyes teary like she was about to cry once more. “Did you know he called me the bully?”

 

He was aware. He had been there for that unfortunate part.

 

She shuddered and hugged herself. “He…he even grabbed me and wouldn’t let me go. Just to get a promise that would protect HER. He knows what she’s doing. He knows how I feel. Does he just not care?”

 

Felix reached out and placed an arm around her, drawing her to him in something akin to a hug.

 

“He said he was supporting me, but all he cared about was defending her. He called me the bully when I’m the one she’s been hurting.”

 

“You tried to tell him.”

 

“I did! I pointed out how it was unfair!” She said, voice raised in anger. “But no! He’s only worried about Lila being akumatized if she feels bad. Like she hasn't already been akumatized three times! Like she won't be akumatized again regardless! Or that other people won't be akumatized in the process because of her once the truth comes out! Or that...that..." She choked. "Or that _**I**_ could be akumatized because of any of this. Doesn’t he even care about how all this is making me feel?”

 

“If it’s any consolation,” Felix said, “I believe it may be due to his trust of your strength of will and capability to not be akumatized.”

 

She chuckled a little at that, but still bitterly. “Just because I CAN fend off an akuma doesn’t mean I should have to.”

 

“No.” He agreed. “You shouldn’t.”

 

She hiccuped.

 

“It’s not fair.”

 

He nodded in agreement.

 

“Unreasonable expectations often aren’t. While it speaks well of you that he sees you as someone who can act better in the face of adversity, it rings hollow when he seems more inclined to force you to do so to protect the ones causing harm. It is hypocritical to expect you to meet standards he doesn’t require from anyone else.”

 

She sniffled at that, leaning into him and speaking hollowly. “Because if it’s just me, it’s not like it matters, right?”

 

He stayed silent. He knew the answer already.

 

“I’ve liked Adrien. _Like_ -liked him for a really long time.” She wilted. “But if Adrien is going to do _that_ …say he’s there with me only to turn on me while excusing what she does…then he’s just as much of a liar as she is. He isn’t…he’s not the good person I thought he was.”

 

Felix hummed for a moment, thoughtfully.

 

“Agreste had every right to reject you.” He finally said, making her look up at him in surprise. “His feelings are his own and he cannot force them. But the way he attempted to use those feelings against you…that was wrong.”

 

Felix stared her in the eyes.

 

“HE was wrong.”

 

She felt her vision go blurry again and she blinked quickly in an attempt to try to stop the tears from forming.

 

“He twisted his rejection to make it about you—how _you_ were lacking, and how _you_ needed to change to be agreeable to him. He tried to use his rejection of you to push his own agenda. He tried to pressure your compliance with something that was _hurting you_ —first through his feelings and then through force. That…what he tried to do was emotionally manipulate you. His judgement of you. His calling you a bully when it is clearly the other way around…”

 

Marinette gaped.

 

“That is what a bully does. That is what he is.”

 

“He’s not—”

 

“Even if he’s not a bully, he is still at best an enabler. He wishes to keep the status quo so much that he would try to force you to hold to it regardless of its effects on you or anyone else for that matter. That…” He shook his head, unable to find any other way to say it. “That isn’t healthy. That is horribly unhealthy and I think…for all that it may hurt you to hear it, I think you’re better off for this.”

 

Her breath hitched at that. He didn't let it stop him, however, and continued to explain.

 

“I’ve seen the way you’ve been around him. How much you’ve done just to try to talk to him. How much it takes out of you. And…what concerns me is how each time you try, you only seem to end up more miserable for doing so. This is something that time and again only seems to hurt you. And it is something that time and again, he either doesn’t notice or doesn’t care.”

 

She wanted to argue. Really, she did.

 

But how could she argue that? After everything that had just happened. She reached a hand to her arm—wincing at the lingering pain that reminded her of how Adrien had grabbed it in his previous attempt to force his way. Felix took her hand in his own, much to her surprise, before he then released it and instead rested his hand gently on the slowly fading marks.

 

“If his priority has been Lila all this time, then it’s safe to assume that she will remain his bigger concern regardless.”

 

She winced.

 

“And if he is going to prioritize the well being of someone who would willfully harm others over someone more deserving…” Over y _ou,_ went unsaid, “then you are healthier without him.”

 

She let loose the flood of tears she had been trying to hold back and sobbed.

 

“But I’m not happier.”

 

He hesitated, but finally gave in to the impulse and hugged her fully. She leaned into him fully, accepting the comfort.

 

“Not yet.” He admitted, solemn and apologetic. But somehow, it sounded like a promise.

 

“Not yet.”

 

_But soon…_

 

He stayed there and let her cry it out for what felt like hours, but he didn’t begrudge her. And when her tears finally slowed and her breathing calmed, only then did he ease his hold. But he didn’t release her—not fully. Instead, he remained a stable support at her side as he led her home and to the comfort of those who loved her.

 

Neither noticed the silent intruder who was the only witness to their discussion. He did nothing but watch and listen, helpless to act in the growing evidence of his own guilt.


End file.
